Life-raft.



which has at one end nut esin." I

as receptacles for food and supplies such as medical equipment, water and rockets. Access to compartment E is illustrated in Fig. 4, access to compartment E being similar. The metal parts are cut away to leave flanges c and 6. Metal pieces (1 and 0 rest on these flanges and are bent over and secured by screws 0 and c to the wooden pieces 6. Riveted to the flanges e and c is the neck piece E which is oval in shape and which is provided with shelves (2 and c Along the top of the neck I place gasket c andon that restscovei F grooved 'on its inner side to tightly engage the gasket, the cover being perforated to receive shank f f which nut engages inside of locking member f, the latter norniallyen'gaging' shelves e and e", said shank being threaded'at its opposite end for engagement with .wingnut 1 which may be rotated to' firmly c l a np 'the cover F in osi-' j pre'ferably provide an additional gasket f inuthe outer face of the cover in engagement wi'th'the wing nut. When it is desired to. gain access to compartment E the wingnut is loosened and the locking member is'turiiedoutiof engagement with the shelves,

'ofthe biioyantinernberbut at thesame time make saidinterior normally water tight.

Access 'to compartment E may also be had through lower neck piece E,.it'being understood that my buoyant member is reversib1e.'.". 7 '7 v The platformconsists of slats g and g running alongthe" edgesand between them are fastened transverse slats 9 while I also provide diagonal slats g above the transverse slatsand diagonal slats g below the transverse 'slats, the diagonal slats being suitably connectd tothe transverse slats, this construction being, very efficient, because, amongother reasons,.each diagonal slat dis tributes weight among a number of transverseslats: y i

At intervals, preferably icorrespondin g with the"spaces between the metal bands above described, I attach metal loops H to slats and 'jby bolts it, one flange of the 1 00p eing a ove' and other below the platorm'.

Wire ropes J are looped through loops H andinner loops or arms a? and thus support the platform'.' I prefer also to give additional strength by using the diagonal cords or. Wires each di. onal cord r mning from the upper loop oi' one wire rope J to the lower loop of the adjacent wire ropeJ.

Cord K runs along the outside of the buoyant member and is looped around the outer arm (5* and between said arms carries the floats k. It will be'clear that a great advantage of miv polygonal metal shell is that T y use crating with them to form a havin pointed end for the device, it being praclically impossible to provide a. pointedend il a circular metal shell is used.

Among the advantages of my raft l may point out that it is very durable as it will preserve its buoyant properties indefinitely, it is very strong and it is very serviceable.

l Jrefer to connect the adjacent initered meta shell pieces by solder but of course other connecting means might be used depending upon circumstances.

What I claim is:

1. A' life raft comprising a metal shell which is polygonal in cross-section; and a buoyant member made of wood outsideof saidshell.

2. A life raft comprising a metal shell which is polygonal in cross-section; and a buoyant member outside of said shell.

3. A life raft comprising an inner hollow member made of metal and being polygonal in cross-sectionbass-wood surrounding and reinforcing said for holding the metal member and said wood together.

4. A life raft comprising a hollow metal shell which is polygonal in cross-section; strips of wood rectangular in cross-section; strips of wood'triangular in cross-section; canvas surrounding said strips and coopsubstantially rigid but buoyant cover for the metal shell.

5. A life raft comprising a metal shell; buoyant material; a metal band to hold said material to said shell; said band having an arm welded thereto; a platform; and means connecting said platform and said arm.

6. A life raft comprising a metal shell made in two parts, each part having a flange extending longitudinally of the device; and

means to hold said flanges together.

7. Alife raft comprising a metal shell made in two parts, one part having a flange with three parallel walls and the other having a flange with two parallel walls, the walls of one part engaging the Walls of the other part; and means to hold said walls together.

8. A 'life raft comprising a metal shell having longitudinally extending flanges; strips of wood extending longitudinally of the device; and means to hold said strips in engagement with said flanges.

9. A life raft comprising a metal shell an opening; buoyant material covering said shell and having an opening in line with the opening in said shell; and means normally closing the opening in said shell but removable to permit access to the interior of said shell through said openings.

10. A life raft comprising a hollow metal hollowmember; and means shell; buoyant material covering said shell; and provided with a shelf; a lockin meman. opening in said shell leading to the inbar to engage said shelf; a cover or said terior thereof; a cover for said opening; and neck and controlling access to the interior 10 means to hold said cover in position. of said shell; and means cooperating with 11. A life raft com rising buoyant nmthe locking member to hold said cover in terial; a hollow metal sliell within said buoyposition wlth relation to said neck.

ant material; a neck leading into said shell EDMUND T. FLYNN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

